Patna: Bihar MP Rajesh Ranjan, better known as Pappu Yadav, has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for a complete ban on gutkha and chewing tobacco products across India. He said these products are “poison” and are especially harmful to rickshaw pullers, daily wage workers, farmers and poor families who buy them in small sachets costing just Rs 2 to Rs 10. According to him, these addictions are dragging already struggling families further into poverty and illness.
In his letter, Yadav said gutkha contains 28 cancer-causing chemicals that lead to serious diseases such as mouth and throat cancer, heart problems and strokes. He pointed out that every year, India records about 70,000 new cases of oral cancer and over 50,000 deaths. He claimed that in the last 15 years, nearly 57 lakh Indians have died because of gutkha and tobacco. Poor people, he added, often cannot afford expensive treatment, and lack of proper health facilities in rural areas makes the problem worse.
The MP also blamed major gutkha companies such as DS Group (Rajnigandha), Manik Chand, Pan Bahar, Godfrey Phillips, JMJ and Shikhar Group. He accused them of putting profits above people’s lives and of causing harm to crores of Indians. Yadav demanded that these companies be shut down, free cancer screening and treatment centres be set up for the poor, and a nationwide awareness campaign be launched to educate people about the dangers of gutkha.
Political observers say this step by Pappu Yadav could start a bigger debate on gutkha and tobacco in India. They believe the issue is not only about public health but also about social justice, as the poorest sections are the most affected. His demand for a ban, they say, could push the government to take stronger action against these products, which remain widely consumed despite their deadly impact.
